Tag: lgbt

The Transgender Military Ban Flouts Equal Protection

On Friday August 25th, Donald Trump signed a memo ordering the military to prohibit any open transgender individual from joining the military. Despite the fact that Secretary of Defense James Mattis was supposed to complete a 6-month time to study the impact of transgender people on the military, the President, as he often does, decided

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Heber City lawmaker confirmed as judge despite concerns from LGBT community

Source: The Daily Herald A Heber City lawmaker has been confirmed as a new Fourth District Court judge despite concerns from the LGBT community about past legislation. State Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City, was confirmed Wednesday on a unanimous 25-0 vote of the Utah Senate during a special legislative session to take the bench of retiring

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Committee approves judge nominee despite LGBT concerns

Source: KSL SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah lawmaker who proposed legislation that drew fire from the LGBT community received a unanimous recommendation Monday from a state Senate committee to be confirmed as a judge. Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City, apologized during a Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee hearing, saying he was “truly sorry for the offense

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My Reaction to Orlando

I tend to cry really easily. I freely admit that I tear up during every Disney movie and romantic comedy I watch—no matter how cheesy. Pictures of baby animals always get me. Orchestral music is pretty much guaranteed to turn on the waterworks. And when I see or hear someone else crying, I immediately start

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Equality Utah’s Troy Williams Reacts to the Orlando Shooting

Source: Utah Public Radio A vigil was held Monday night in Salt Lake City in remembrance of the victim’s of the Orlando Shooting. Troy Williams is the executive director for Equality Utah, an LGBTQ rights group that hosted the event. He said he was initially shocked to hear about the Orlando shooting. “And then the

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OpEd: Utah’s hate crime law isn’t working. Here’s how we fix it.

On July 24, 1847, our pioneer ancestors arrived in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Valley. They were fleeing persecution and sought a safe refuge to practice their religion without fear for their lives. Our state was formed by those seeking refuge from religious-motivated hate crimes. Over 150 years later, in 1992, Utah adopted its first hate-crime

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Better Utah commends Judge Scott Johansen for his decision to retire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, January 5, 2016 Better Utah commends Judge Scott Johansen for his decision to retire – – – – – Salt Lake City, Utah – Late last week, Judge Scott Johansen retired from his position with the Seventh District Juvenile Court system. Judge Johansen’s retirement comes after a number of Johansen’s controversial

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